Progressing towards the '1+ 2 Approach'
While there is a significant minority of learners for whom English is an Additional Language (EAL), at St Ninian’s, French is the second modern language for most pupils and Spanish the third.
Two part-time teachers who have an interest in modern languages, Julie Caskie and Jane Keegan, have been timetabled to teach them across the school for the past three years. Julie teaches French in P1 while Jane teaches French from P2 to P7. Jane is MLPS trained and is the Primary Modern Languages Network Leader for West Lothian. Julie, and the nursery staff, have received training in early years languages teaching.
In the nursery, as the children develop generic skills in their first language, they also begin learning French on an informal, responsive basis.
‘These include taking part in conversations, developing listening, reading and writing skills and knowledge about language. All of these are relevant to learning other languages. Within modern languages at these stages teachers build on children’s natural curiosity for sounds and words, and their strong desire to communicate. Activities include playing games, singing songs, carrying out simple instructions, and playing with simple poetry and rhyme. In this way the children begin to be enthusiastic, confident language learners from the outset.’ (St Ninian’s school handbook 2012-2013, p10)
In line with guidance in the
Modern Languages Principles and Practice document, it is stated in the school handbook that:
‘By the end of Primary 7, the majority of children will have learned the skills necessary to:
- give a short presentation about themselves
- take part in simple conversations and transactions
- understand classroom instructions and personal information
- enjoy listening to a story, song or poem
- read aloud a simple text
- read and understand a short text
- write a few sentences about themselves and others.’ (ibid, p10)
In addition to Jane and Julie, some of the other practitioners are MLPS Spanish trained and there has been an extra-curricular Spanish club in the recent past. However, for the past two years, a parent volunteer with a Spanish degree and experience of Community Education has taught Spanish to P4-P7. To hook the children into Spanish as their second additional language, Hispanic culture is introduced through sport, fiestas and festivals. This approach tends to provoke curiosity in the Spanish language itself, at which point the children are taught about personal language, family and pets.
The parent volunteer has been struck by the children's ability to make connections between languages:
‘Some do get a bit muddled with their French,’ she said, ‘but they realise right away how it can help them with their Spanish. One boy saw the word ‘la vaca’ for the first time and worked out it must be cow because “La vache is cow in French.”’
At the end of P7, the majority of pupils go to St Margaret’s Academy in Livingston. Staff permitting, members of the academy’s Modern Languages Department provide additional French and Spanish input for P6 and P7 pupils and staff from both sectors work closely and collaboratively. As all students learn French and Spanish in S1 at St Margaret’s, this approach to cross-sector, collegiate planning supports primary-secondary transition and ensures greater continuity and progression in learning.
Aims of language learning approach
Frances Young, Acting Head Teacher at St Ninian’s explains the aims of the language learning approach at the school:
‘The ethos of language learning …is based upon fun, active learning which is enjoyed by all and is accessible to all ages and abilities of learner.’
Jane Keegan describes the main focus of the school’s approach:
‘It’s … skills … building the children's skills from a young age and then you can see it when they get up, now that they’ve been doing it maybe three years … they’re so much better, the difference is amazing.’
There is also a clear commitment to high expectations at St Ninian’s, in language learning as much as any other area of the curriculum.
‘Attainment and achievement across all areas of school life are celebrated. Examples this session have included … winning SCILT’s European Day of Languages poster competition.’ (St Ninian’s Standards & Quality Report 2011-12).